JetBlue, Spirit Forced to Cancel More Weekend Flights

If this is some sort of aviation irony, then JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines want no part of it.

It was a second straight rough weekend for the two carriers, which are in discussions for a potential merger, as a combination of staffing shortages and bad weather in Florida conspired to cause numerous delays and cancellations.

JetBlue and Spirit canceled more than a combined 550 flights on Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, according to USA Today’s evaluation of flight data from the tracking service FlightAware.

It couldn’t come at a worse time.

Spring break air travel has exploded since March across the country and will continue this week as many secondary schools have the week off leading up to Easter Sunday on April 17 – another pivotal travel period.

JetBlue, in particular, is trying to stay ahead of the conundrum by offering flight attendants as $1,000 bonus if they work every shift they are scheduled for and don’t call in sick between April 8 and May 31.

The airline said it would also scale back its summer schedule to help alleviate problems.

JetBlue President and Chief Operating Office Joanna Geraghty addressed the issue with employees with an internal memo on Saturday seen by USA Today.

“We had some big news at JetBlue this week, and while that has rightly been the focus of a lot of buzz, I want to assure you our #1 priority right now is the operation,” she wrote. “You have been simply incredible under very difficult circumstances, and we want to thank you for all you are doing to take care of our Customers. We are letting you and our customers down, and that is not consistent with what we stand for.